$4.00OCTOBER 2015

5 Ways To Stay Safe Is 100% Stealth Possible? Duck-No-Fly Zone Woodcock Management Good Fish Dinners Its All About The Dogs

Octobers Hungry Bass Michigans Canada Goose Success Story

Michigans Premier Outdoor PublicationWoods-N-Water NewsWoods-N-Water News

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SALES: 810-653-04905605 Davison Rd., 4 miles east

of Downtown DavisonOpen 6 Days: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm;

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OUTDOOR WEEKEND - SUCCESS A quick thank you to everyone involved in the 29th Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend, the event was a huge success. Our vendors, speakers, sponsors, groups, clubs and entertainment were all fantastic. As too was help from our local commu-nity, the police and fire departments, the Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds, family and friends that all pitched in. The success of the Woods-N-Water News Outdoor Weekend has never been measured in numbers, but rather in the satisfaction of our vendors and our attendees, and it appears we succeeded. This was a true celebration of our outdoor heritage.

It is particularly rewarding that the outdoor show offers the opportunity for numerous local charitable organizations to raise money for their respective causes and we take a great deal of pride in being able to assist them. I cant stress enough that an event of this magnitude could not happen without the great help of our family, friends, our staff, the Fair Board and the entire community. Everyones support has been terrific. Now our focus is the 30 anniversary. For more information on the Outdoor Weekend check out our website, www.woods-n-waternews.com, a complete list of vendors will be available. And mark your calendar for Sept. 9-11, 2016 -- next years Outdoor Weekend dates.

FIGHTING MICHIGANS CWD Deer hunters in Ingham, Clinton, or Shiawas-see counties will have to deal with fatal Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). A central nervous system disease that attacks the brain of infected animals creating small lesions in the brain that result in death. It is so important that hunters hunt and that hunters harvest deer in the CWD area and have them tested. A healthy deer herd is impor-tant for hunting traditions. Michigan has more than 650,000 deer hunters who have harvested an average of 430,000 deer annually during the past decade and CWD can spread through the deer herd. And again deer with CWD die there are no survivors. Remember baiting and feeding is illegal in Ingham, Clinton and Shiawassee counties. Deer taken 9-township Core CWD Area within this Management Zone: Alaiedon, Bath, Delhi, Dewitt, Lansing, Meridian, Wheatfield, Williamstown, and Woodhull townships the entire carcass must be submitted within 72 business hours to a DNR check station located within the nine townships. The head will be removed and taken for testing. Removal of deer or any part of a carcass from the Core CWD Area is prohibited unless you first submit the head to a deer check station in the Core Area. Once the head has been submitted for testing, you may take the carcass to a taxidermist, processor, or your home. Once again CWD has the potential to do great damage to Michigans deer population and the state needs hunters to hunt and harvest deer. For more information about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) go to www.michigan.gov/cwdn

By Tom Campbell

October Field Notes.. .

SEASONSNow - Dec. 31-Michigan Pure Hunt Application periodNow - Sept. 30 Crow seasonNow - Nov. 14 Ruffed grouse seasonNow - March 1 Squirrel; Fox and Gray seasonNow - Nov. 14 Fall turkey season (permit needed)Now - March 31 Cottontail/Snowshoe season Now-Dec. 13 -- Muskie Lake St. Clair & St. Clair and Detroit RiversNow-Dec. 31 Large/Smallmouth bass catch-and-keep on on all waters, including Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, St. Clair and Detroit Rivers.Sept. 19 - 20 - Early Antlerless Firearm Sept. 19 - 20 - Liberty Hunt (youth hunt)Sept. 19 - Nov. 2 Woodcock seasonOct. 1 - Nov. 14 Archery deer season Oct. 15 - 18 - Independence HuntNov. 15 - 30 Regular firearm deer season. Dec. 4 - 13 Muzzleloading deer season Zone 1 and Zone 2Dec. 4 - 20 Muzzleloading deer season Zone 3Dec. 21 - Jan. 1, 2016 Late Antlerless Firearm

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More Amazing Trail Cam PhotosKraig Staples, a regular contributor to our trail camera pages, caught these pictures of sparring elk in early September on his Millersburgs property while he was hanging treestands and doing some fishing. Trail cameras allow outdoor enthusiasts a chance to see more of nature.

The Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters to check their antlerless deer drawing results and availability of remaining licenses at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings. Successful applicants may purchase their licenses online at E-License, at any authorized license agent or at a DNR Customer Service Center. All leftover public- and private-land antler-less deer licenses will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Wednesday Sept. 9, at 10 a.m. EDT. Licenses will be sold until quotas are met. When purchasing a license online via E-license, note that all available hunts will be listed on one page. Public land hunts are listed first with hunt numbers that begin with a 1, fol-lowed by private land hunts, which begin with a 2. Hunts will be removed from the list when they are sold out. License purchasers should scroll down until they find the hunt they wish to purchase. For more information, see the 2015 Antler-less Deer Hunting Digest, which can be found at local license agents or online at www.michigan.gov/dnrdigests. Hunters also are reminded to apply for the Pure Michigan Hunt for $5 (per application) as many times as they would like. Three win-ners each will receive a prize package valued at over $4,000, including a rifle and crossbow plus licenses for elk, bear and antlerless deer hunting. Visit www.michigan.gov/puremichiganhunt for more information. To purchase Pure Michigan Hunt applications, visit E-License.

Antlerless deerapplication results now

available; remaining licenses on sale Sept. 9

The Outdoor Weekend is all about fun, family and the outdoors. At the show, Bucky, the Woods-N-Water News mascot greets the Kogelman family of Dryden.

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HUNTING

2015 Small GameHunting Preview

MDNR page 8

When Michigan's RUT is ROCKIN'

Kenny Darwin page 12

It's all about the dogsMark Romanack page 19

"FETCH"Len Jenkins page 26

DUCKS...NO FLY ZONE

Kenny Darwin page 44

5 ways to stay safe this fallLane Walker page 58

Change your bow season from blah to a blast

Ed Spinazzola page 64

2015 big-game hunting- furbearer seasons

MDNR page 66

Winged Drag Racersof the waterfowl world

Ryan Walker page 74

Getting a buck out doesn't have to be a dragKenny Darwin page 108

FISHINGAngler assistant needed in

Lake Michigan smallmouth study

page 20

Slippin', Chuckin' andwindin' fall steelhead

Mike Gnatkowski page 28

Fall Means Big MuskiesRobert Dock Stupp page 34

Handmade bass luresare a work of art

Darryl Quidort page 62

SpectacularStream Salmon

Kenny Darwin page 72

OCTOBER BASSBuck Mallory page 76

Taking 'BOAT'

control of the situationGary Parsons/Keith Kavajecz

page 90

Good fish dinnersMark Romanack page 104

FEATUREManaging Habitat

for WoodcockTom Carney page 16

Michigan dams being removed to restorefree flowing riversBill Ziegler page 22

Michigan greatsmallmouth lakes

Randy Jorgensen page 40

Late summer plinkingTom Lounsbury page 52

BOAT SMART...New boat lay-up adviceCapt. Fred Davis page 69

Michigan's CanadaGoose Success Story

MDNR page 78

Dear Fish Diary...Don't mess with the kid!Ron St. Germain page 84

BOWFISHING:

Combine twopastimes into one sport

page 86

Sporting Collectibles:What is this...andwhat's it worth?

Terry McBurney page 100

TRAIL CAM PHOTOSpage 102

Guest Column..."It's not a vacation,it's an adventure!

Eric Zimostrad page 111

OUTDOOR NEWSDNR's Hunting Access

Program awarded grantpage 53

Still time to enroll in hunter education

classes beforefall hunting seasons

page 57

ELK POACHINGIN MICHIGAN

Jeff Pendergraff page 70

EEE found in Barry County horse-no deer

page 106

No changes for chummingpage 106

PERSPECTIVE

DNR staff take hands-on approach to volunteer effort

page 14

To add scent or Not...Fall's Dilemma

Mark Martin page 48

Live trap nuisance animalsGeorge Rowe page 50

MICHIGAN MEANDERSP.S. from the P.M.

Tom Huggler page 54

Traditional BlackPowder Hunting...

In the middle of the trailDennis Neely page 60

Woodland Jack O'Lanterns

A TREAT OR A TRICK?Jonathan Schechter page 80

"Healing the Bear River"Rick Fowler page 82

Michigan Pretty Hunter bags her first bear

Tricia Croney page 92

Children need behaviors that'll carry them throughRoger Beukema page 113

OPINIONS

Can we fill oursalmon void?

Mark Sak page 94

Bowhuntingwounding controversy

John Ozoga page 94

DNR news release about UP deer inaccurate

Richard P. Smith page 95

GUNS/AMMO

Gun Chat...ScopesLee Arten page 88

I s 1 0 0 P e r c e n tS t e a l t h P o s s i b l e ?Sound Advice By Adam Lewis ...page 30

DEPARTMENTS . . .Trophy Page. . . . . . . . .98Letters-Op-Ed . . . . 94-97

Classifieds . . . . . 114-115Real Estate . . . . 116-129

..

.fbk./

COVERPHOTO

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$4.00OCTOBER 2015

5 Ways To Stay Safe Is 100% Stealth Possible? Duck-No-Fly Zone Woodcock Management Good Fish Dinners Its All About The Dogs

Octobers Hungry Bass Michigans Canada Goose Success Story

Michigans Premier Outdoor PublicationWoods-N-Water NewsWoods-N-Water News

www.woods-n-waternews.com Like us on facebook Follow us onwww.woods-n-waternews.com Like us on facebook Follow us on

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HUNTING PREVIEWMichigans Fall Also Means...

BIG MUSKIES

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Department of Natural Resourceswildlife biologists across the state say

hunters should find small game hunting conditions similar to last year.

Hunters are reminded that due to changes in licensing, all licensed hunters

may pursue small game...

Small game hunting season began Sept. 1 with the opening of the early Canada goose season and teal seasons and continues until rabbit and hare season ends March 31. Rabbits

Season: Cottontail rabbits and varying (or snowshoe) hare can be hunted from Sept. 15-March 31 statewide. The daily bag limit is five in combina-tion with a possession limit of 10. Outlook: Roughly 56,000 hunters reported pur-suing rabbits in 2011 (the most recently completed harvest survey) and about 12,000 hunted hares. Cot-tontail populations are good throughout their range over much of the state. Concentrate on thick cover, such as briar patches and brush piles, often near agricultural fields. Snowshoe hare populations are down from historic levels. Look for early-succes-sional forests (such as aspen stands) and low-lying conifer swamps with blow-downs and brush piles in the northern two-thirds of the state.

Squirrels Season: Sept. 15-March 1. The daily bag limit is five per day with 10 in possession. Outlook: Both fox and gray squirrel popula-tions are at moderate to high levels across much of the state. Areas that had good mast production last year are a good bet, as are wood lots adjoining corn fields. Post deer-season hunting, in Jan. and Feb., is increasingly popular. About 72,000 hunters pursue squirrels.

Ruffed Grouse Season: Sept. 15-Nov. 14 and Dec. 1-Jan. 1, statewide. The bag limit is five per day/10 in possession in the northern two-thirds of the state, three per day/six in possession in Zone 3 (southern Michigan). Outlook: Grouse populations are cyclical, typi-cally rising and falling over a 10-year period, and indications are that we are near a bottom, though spring drumming counts during the last two years were up. Hunters are expected to see more birds this year than in 2014. Young to moderate-aged aspen stands about 6 to 15 years of age with a thick understory of witch hazel or dogwood are prime grouse habitat. Food sources are important, but wild fruit and berry production should be very good this year due to good spring rains. Grouse are most numerous in the Upper Peninsula and north-ern Lower Peninsula, but hunters may find local populations in areas with good habitat in southern Michigan as well. Grouse and woodcock hunters

are asked to assist the DNR in monitoring popula-tions by reporting their results. Cooperator forms can be found on the DNR web site at www.michi-gan.gov/hunting (select Upland Game Birds and then Ruffed Grouse). Michigan boasts about 77,000 grouse hunters.

Woodcock Season: Sept. 19-Nov. 2 statewide. The daily bag limit is three with a possession limit of six. Outlook: Woodcock populations have been in long-term decline, though there is evidence that de-cline has slowed in recent years. Hunters can expect about the same results they had last year. Found in all parts of Michigan, woodcock are migratory, and although their population densities are higher in the northern two-thirds of the state, they often can be found in good numbers in southern Michigan later in the season as the birds head south. Some 32,000 hunters say they pursue woodcock in Michigan, the top woodcock-hunting state in the union. All wood-cock hunters must obtain a free woodcock stamp in addition to a valid base license; the endorsement stamp is available at all license agents or online at www.mdnr-elicense.com.

Sharp-tailed Grouse Season: Oct. 10-31 in the eastern Upper Penin-sula, east of M-129 and east of I-75 north of M-48. The limit is two daily, with four in possession; six per season. Outlook: Sharptails use grasslands and associ-ated shrubby habitat; think pheasant habitat. Often found in small flocks and sometimes difficult to approach, sharptails often require relatively long-range shooting compared to ruffed grouse. Sharptail hunters are required to have a (free) sharp-tailed grouse endorsement on their hunting licenses. In 2013, 350 hunters chased sharptails.

Pheasants Season: Oct. 10-31 in the Upper Peninsula in Menominee County and portions of Iron, Mar-

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Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Both woodcock (carried by the hunter on the left) and grouse (held by the hunter on the right) are deni-zens of early successional forest lands. MDNR photo

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quette, Dickinson and Delta counties, Oct. 20-Nov. 14 in the Lower Peninsula; and Dec. 1-Jan. 1 in selected areas of Zone 3 (southern Michigan). The limit is two cocks daily, with four in possession. Outlook: Pheasant populations have been in decline for a number of years, primarily because of changes in agricultural practices and/or urban sprawl. Typically, the best habitat is on private lands that have been managed for pheasants, especially those that are enrolled in farm set-aside programs, though some public land is being in-tensely managed for pheasants. Generally speak-ing, hunters who enjoyed success last year should find similar hunting conditions in the same areas. The best counties for pheasant hunting occur in south-central to mid-Michigan and into the Thumb, though locally abundant populations can be found almost anywhere. Look for warm-season grasses, especially on idled farm fields. Late-season hunters can have success in cattail and shrub lands adjoin-ing picked agricultural fields. An estimated 23,000 hunters pursue pheasants in Michigan.

Quail Season: Oct. 20-Nov. 14. Quail can be hunted only in Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Kent, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Montcalm, Oakland, Saginaw, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Washt-enaw and Wayne counties. The bag limit is five per day/10 in possession. Outlook: Back-to-back harsh winters and ice storms have significantly lowered quail popula-tions. Often associated with pheasant hunting, fewer than 500 hunters reported quail hunting in 2011.

Wild Turkey Season: Sept. 15-Nov. 14 in eight manage-ment units, including the entire Upper Peninsula (except Isle Royale) and all counties to the south of and including Oceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, Isa-bella, Midland, Bay and Huron (except Wayne and Monroe). A total of 51,850 licenses are available - 5,150 general licenses that may be used on public or private land and 46,700 licenses for private-land only. Licenses are issued by lottery, though left-over licenses are available over the counter on a first-come, first-served basis until management unit quotas are met. Hunters may take one bird of either sex per license. The limit is one per license. Outlook: Fall turkey seasons are held only in areas where populations are stable to increasing, so prospects are very good. Roughly 16,000 hunters pursue wild turkeys in the fall hunt, many of them during the archery deer season.

Ducks Seasons: Regular season: Sept. 26-Nov. 22 and Nov. 28-29 in the North Zone (Upper Peninsula); Oct. 3-Nov. 29 and Dec. 12-13 in the Middle Zone; and Oct.10Dec. 6 and Dec. 26-27 in the South Zone. The bag limit for ducks is six per day with no more than four mallards (no more than two hens), three wood ducks, three scaup (bluebills), two red-heads, two pintails, two canvasbacks and one black

duck. Five additional mergansers (no more than two may be hooded mergansers) may be taken. Possession limit is two days daily bag limit. Outlook: Continent-wide, duck numbers are high, well above the long-term average, with mallard numbers the highest on record. Michigan mallard numbers are similar to last year. Wetland conditions are very good. Hunting should be very good for early season puddle ducks (wood ducks and teal). Diving ducks, which usually begin arriv-ing in good numbers around mid-October, should be plentiful on the Great Lakes, too; notice the extra canvasback allowed this year. About 42,000 hunters pursue ducks in Michigan.

Canada Geese Seasons: The regular goose seasons are Sept. 11-Dec. 11 in the North Zone; Sept. 19-Dec. 19 in the Middle Zone; and Sept. 19-27, Oct. 10Dec.

6, and Dec. 26-27 in the South Zone, except in designated goose management units (GMUs). The daily bag limit is two. In the Saginaw County and Tuscola/Huron GMUs, the season is Sept. 19-27, Oct. 10Dec 6, and Dec. 26Jan. 19 with a daily bag limit of two. In the Allegan County GMU, the season is Oct. 31-Jan. 30 with a bag limit of two. In the Muskegon Wastewater GMU, the season is Oct. 17-Nov. 14 and Dec. 1-22. The bag limit is two. The late goose season, in the South Zone, ex-cluding the GMUs, is Jan. 23Feb. 14 with a daily bag limit of five. Outlook: Resident Canada goose populations, which account for more than 70 percent of the states total harvest, are above population goals, so hunters should find plenty of geese. Migratory goose numbers are down somewhat. Except for a few days in Dec. and Jan., waterfowl hunters may pursue geese somewhere in the state from Sept. 1 to Feb 14. For more information on Michigan hunting, visit www.michigan.gov/hunting.n

Upland bird hunting becomes legal in Michigan Sept. 15 when ruffed grouse season opens statewide.

Canada geese season is open. MDNR photo

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I t was a cool, clear day and I could see the big buck crashing through the underbrush after a hot doe. The pair dashed through the thicket like coyote chasing rab-bit, making sharp turns, circling left, then right. Every three jumps the big buck would give out a love grunt and the pair broke enough brush and branches to sound like a runaway moose. At one point they passed with-in fifteen yards as the doe splashed into the nearby water with the buck in tow. He was so close to his mate that when the duo pranced through the shallows running straight away it looked like a single deer through the powerful camera lens. Wow! I said to myself, these deer are in full blown rut. A buck kissin close to a doe is a clear indication the rut is in full swing, but what other clues can tell you when the rut is rockin? Hunting during the rut provides an opportunity to catch bucks when their guard is down and they are busy locat-ing receptive partners. The window of opportunity is very narrow, peak rut in Michigan lasts only a few days and savvy hunters know it is the only time the entire year when smart old mossy horned bucks leave hideaways and are out dancin and prancin during broad

daylight. If I had to pick a date for the Michigan rut to be going full bore Id choose the 7th of November; a date when Ive seen excellent rut activity. Sure, there is some rutting activity in late October but as a general rule November is the best time to inter-cept Michigan deer caught up in the rut. Hunt now and the action can be fast paced and you will experience Michigan buck hunting at its finest. One sure-fire way to identify the rut is to witness bucks chasing does. Sure, during pre-rut bucks are actively seeking mates but true rut arrives when does come into heat and breeding activity kicks into high gear. This is when does become receptive and allow bucks near. Most of the chasing takes place days or a few hours before does become fully in heat and allow breeding. During this time bucks are hot on the heels of certain ripe does 24/7. Another indicator that the rut has arrived is the number of rubs and scrapes found throughout your hunting grounds. Come pre-rut in late October bucks begin marking their

territory in earnest and the skyrocket-ing testosterone levels drive bucks into a rubbing frenzy. Most bucks rub an average of 150 trees, shrubs, alders and saplings during this period. Large rubs often are made by adult deer and signpost rubs found year after year

in the same location are an indication a mature deer is in the area. Bucks tend to make many scrapes during this period and often they are found under an overhanging branch where bucks like to leave scent from their facial glands, chew on dangling

twigs and tickle the overhanging branches with their antlers.

Scrapes are used to attract does and bucks scent mark the scrape by urinat-ing on their hind hocks and rubbing the scent glands together and dripping powerful perfume that attracts other deer. Primary scrapes made by a ma-ture buck are often much larger than secondary scrapes and the entire deer family will visit the location. Find a scrape the size of your kitchen table with large buck tracks on the bare earth and you have located an ideal spot for a stand.

If a doe squats to urinate dur-ing the rut, any buck in the area will charge the location, stick his nose in the perfumed dampness and raise his head, curl his lips back and check to see if the doe is ready for mating. This is called fleming and if doe urine smells ripe bucks will prance after the female by following her scent trail. Dogged determination keeps males searching for receptive mates. At first, females play hide and go seek and avoid contact with bucks. When the female goes into heat she will seek out bucks, allow them close and rather than running helter skelter through the woods they allow the buck to ap-proach from behind. A hot doe is easy to identify because they frequently urinate and they constantly wiggle their tail in a lamb-like fashion to at-tract bucks. Once a buck has found a recep-tive mate he often must ward off other suitors by charging, antlers extended, with a deadly lunge. Bucks fight-ing over a doe frequently circle each other; lower their ears mule-like to display their dominance and puff up their hair to appear healthy, muscular and ready to rumble. Most fights are short and sweet but bucks of the same age, antler size and stature can battle

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By Kenny Darwin

When MichigansRUT is ROCKIN

Monster buck running wide open to chase a smaller buck away from his girlfriend. Sub-ordinate bucks are attracted to the sights, sounds and smell of rutting activity and breeder bucks must patrol their rutting zone from intruder bucks.

for longer periods or until death. Hunting tactics that work during the rut include attracting bucks by rattling antlers, calling with a grunt tube or doe bleat. When bucks are sex crazed they often will respond to just about any noise in the woods. Rattling often works best when two hunters work as a team. Place the shooter anywhere from 25-100 yards downwind from the rattler to ambush circling bucks. One strategy I use with camera and archery gear is to stalk through likely big buck hang-outs by moving at a snails pace and giving a soft grunt every few yards. Love crazed bucks hear the rustle of leaves, snapping of twigs and grunt calls and they will come to investi-gate. Developing a rhythm or stalking cadence is the key to success. The idea is to sound like a walking deer, move and stop. The trick to shooting success hinges on you seeing them before they spot you and getting pre-pared for a shot. Some hunters use a run and gun strategy and they rattle and call from one stand location and move to another until they strike pay dirt and a buck appears. Rattling and grunt-ing sequences should last for only a few short seconds, and then wait for at least 15 minutes. If you spot a buck slipping through the underbrush make certain to get his attention and draw him into easy archery range by making grunt calls. One to three short grunts is the secret to success. Once he stops, looks your direction, do not call. Wait until he is moving to call again. Sometimes you have to call loud if the wind is brisk or a buck is hell bent on going another direc-tion. Rookie buck hunters make the mistake of not using a grunt call to bring bucks into easy archery range. Remember that deer can hear 10 times better than humans and calling too loud can be the kiss of death. Once you have identified the rut based on increased deer movement and breeding behavior you need to adjust your hunting strategy. Sure you can harvest deer at sunset and sunrise but savvy rut hunters know bucks will be moving throughout the day to locate females, check scrapes and seek out receptive does. Dur-ing the rut they will take short naps in random locations but excellent hunting is available throughout broad daylight. The trick is to locate areas where deer are active and get in there. If you can enter the zone of increased deer activity, breeding behavior or where bucks are chasing doe you can have the most exciting hunt of the entire year. Savvy hunters take traditional stands during morning and afternoon and if they pin down loca-tions with active rutting activity they move to the location where the party is rockin. Sometimes this means you

need to use a climber stand or hunt from the ground. Once you wiggle into some new turf and find yourself in the center of rutting activity your chances of taking a buck of a lifetime greatly increases. Some folks say that deer get stupid during the rut. Contrary to belief deer become very active during the rut and bucks become aggressive, visible in open fields, crossing roads, chasing does helter skelter but in real-ity they are just out cruising for love. If you can catch them occupied with finding a mate it can give you the edge for an easy kill. Timing seems to be as important a factor as any in consistently harvesting bucks. Another clear indicator of the rut is increased deer tracks from deer moving up and down runways. A does activity level increases 300% when in heat due to skyrocketing hormones. When does are active and buck are pursuing them, the forest floor is frequently marred by running deer tracks going in just about any direction. It is a perfect time of year to ambush a megabuck that is con-centrating on finding a mate, working scrapes, rubbing saplings and eager to come to a subdued grunt call. After years of chasing deer with bow, camera, crossbow, rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader, Im convinced peak rut in Michigan starts around November 1 and runs until the gun opener when the orange army puts wary bucks back into a more cautious mode. If I had to pick the hottest time to hunt Id go with the week prior to gun opener. Some hunters like cold weather and clear blue skies for deer hunting. My choice would be low hanging gray clouds, limited light and light rain or mist. High humidity, rain, fog and mist tend to amplify the powerful attracting smell of a doe-in-heat and bucks go bonkers. Give me 50 degree temperatures and a slight breeze from the southwest for ideal weather conditions to catch mature bucks out lookin for love. Rut is a time to experiment with a variety of hunting strategies. Dont get caught using the same stand repeatedly. Scout frequently dur-ing the rut. Always carry a gun or archery gear while scouting. Locate new hunting spots and if you identify rutting activity center your attention on the new location. Experiment with calling, rattling, deer decoys, deer scents and cover as much ground as possible in search of Mr. Big. Dont overlook stalking the edges of stand-ing corn or creeping through tall grass fields. When the rut is in full swing you can move slowly through dry leaves during mid-day, moving and stopping, sounding like a deer and yearling bucks will sneak in your direction to identify the sound. Obviously for this brand of hunting

you need full camouflage, agility, flexibility, a keen sense of how much noise to make and when to stop, listen and get ready for a shot when a buck comes lookin. One of my hottest strategies dur-ing peak rut is to road hunt for bucks by driving country roads. Once I catch a big boy out playing I get hunt-ing permission from the landowner and silently sneak into the rutting zone. Once Im in the area where deer are chasing, grunting, rubbing, breeding Ive increased my odds for success 100%. Of course this tactic is best used during archery season and often Michigan landowners will not give hunting permission. During peak rut expect to spot bucks anywhere, along country roads, standing with does in fields and circling in thick brush. Sometimes the rut takes place on top of oak ridges, other times in hard woods, thick swamps or golden-

rod fields. There is nothing like being in the rutting zone where two or more bucks are trying to corner and breed a receptive doe. Often you can identify such hotspots by overturned leaves and tracks everywhere from fight-ing bucks covering every inch of the hot breeding area. Rutting zones are usually less than 100 yards wide and are often highlighted by the odor of deer urine and the musky smell of a buck fired up for sex. Rutting zones are often in tall grass, alder patches or thickets but sometimes the breed-ing activity can take place in an open field, along the expressway fence, golf courses, and stubble cornfields, just about anywhere. Savvy hunters cover it all and willingly switch stand locations to take advantage of rutting activity. What about you? Are you fully prepared and ready to give your best when the rut is rockin?n

A young doe that is not experienced at breeding can be the downfall of a trophy buck because the young female will venture into open areas during broad daylight. Some big bucks will hold tight as glue to a breeding zone and not chase does into open areas or unfamiliar locations where they could encounter hunters. But once a doe is fully in heat, smelling sweet, willing to allow breeding, big mossy horned bucks cannot resist the temptation and they blindly follow does wherever they go. Kenny Darwin photos

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M ichigans state parks have long depended on volunteers to help with stewardship programs that boost the quality of the parks experience for visitors. Volunteers regularly help remove invasive plants or gather seeds from wildflowers to improve the habitat. The Department of Natural Re-sources recently enlisted the aid of a different set of volunteers to go to work on a longstanding problem at many state parks: fixing deteriorating infrastructure. The DNR estimates state parks need nearly $300 million in infra-structure improvements, but has an annual budget of only $5 million to $10 million for that purpose. Enter Lt. Gov. Brian Calley and the Michi-gan Community Service Commission the states lead agency on volun-teerism who issued a challenge to DNR employees through the states

volunteer campaign, Lets Do Some-thing, Michigan. Calley requested 15 DNR staffers volunteer to join him and some of his staff for a work day at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon. The job was to refurbish the stairs and walkways that allow visitor access to the parks magnificent dunes. DNR employ-ees were up to the challenge, as the requested number of volunteers was met quickly. The staircase, which traverses the park and allows visitors to take in the scenery without causing erosion or habitat damage to the dunes, is in regular need of repair, said park manager Patrick Whalen. The stairway is used by a lot of visitors, and its deteriorating, he said. This work needs to be done pe-riodically, and its too big of a job for the park staff to do in a short period of time all at once. Volunteers replaced planks, stairs and rails along the lengthy walkway.

The work were doing today in-volved about $1,000 in lumber alone, Whalen said. It took us a whole days work just getting ready for today. To do this project without volunteers, youd be looking at three staff members for five days. This was a good project for the number of volunteers we had, and a huge accomplishment. Calley said the Lets Do Some-

DNR staff take hands-onapproach to volunteer effort

at Hoffmaster State Park

Top: DNR Director Keith Creagh (left) and Lt. Gov. Brian Calley remove dete-riorating foot boards from a staircase at Hoffmaster State Park. Right: Volunteers from the DNR and Lt. Gov. Brian Calleys office work to remove and replace rotting boards from a walkway at Hoffmaster State Park.Below: DNR Finance and Operations Chief Sharon Schafer uses a power screwdriver to secure the handrail on Hoffmaster State Parks walkway across the dunes. MDNR photos

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thing campaign was designed to en-courage people to find a group thats making a difference and be part of it. This project fit perfectly, Calley said, not only for the volunteers, but also for him, too. I love spending time out at state parks anyway particularly at Lake Michigan, he said. A lot of the work that needs to be done isnt realistic for volunteers, but replacing deck boards on an existing walkway fixing the infrastructure that makes the lake and the dunes accessible is a perfect fit for volunteer activity. And the park staffs on hand provid-ing the expertise to make sure the job gets done correctly. Calley said the event at Hoffmas-ter was the first time he challenged a group of state employees to get directly involved in a project. Wherever we go we try to include state employees, but this is the first time weve done this in conjunction with a state agency, he said. There isnt always an opportu-nity for this kind of work within state agencies. Volunteers came from all DNR divisions, though the bulk of them tended to be office workers. Im kind of a blue-collar guy in a white-collar job, so this is a nice change of pace, said Steve DeB-rabander, who manages the DNRs grants sections. Its a good workout, carrying tools and planks up that 90-step stairway with plenty of turns, which is a trick with a 12-foot plank on your shoulder. But this is a great place to be a good place to roll up your sleeves and do something with your col-leagues. Sharon Schafer, chief of the DNR Finance and Operations Division, agreed. We need to get out of the office more often, she said. I take every chance I can get to do physical labor. I like construction, I think its fun. And now I can bring my family here and show them what I did. Some of the workers were really at home on the project. Scott Zajac, a fisheries technician at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, regularly works with his hands. I had the day off; it looked like a neat project, so I thought Id lend a hand, he said. Ive never been here so its a chance to get out and see something else in my neighbor-hood. Bill Boik, who works on water-ways projects with the DNR Parks and Recreation Division and was a licensed builder before he went to work for the department, said he was returning to his roots.

I have skills that I cant use in the office, he said. They wont let me use power tools at the office. DNR Director Keith Creagh, who worked alongside Calley for much of the morning session (there was an afternoon session, too, after a short lunch break), said he appreci-ated the volunteer spirit of the DNR staff. Its hard work, but everybodys got a smile on their face, Creagh said. Working with a broad base of

volunteers can make a lot of differ-ence in cutting back on our backlog of state infrastructure needs. It multi-plies our resources. Our challenge is to be more innovative in leveraging volunteers. There will always be a need for volunteers even if $300 million falls from the sky tomorrow. No matter how many resources we put into something, we can always take it further with volunteer activities, Calley concluded.

To learn more about Lets Do Something, Michigan, visit www.somgovweb.state.mi.us/GovRela-tions/MichiganAmbassador.aspx. To find out about volunteer op-portunities at Michigan state parks and at other DNR recreation sites and programs, visit www.michigan.gov/dnrvolunteers. For more on the Michigan Community Service Com-mission and volunteer opportunities locally, visit www.michigan.gov/volunteer.n

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A nd since were talking about the American wood-cock here, not the Europe-an, that means Michigan is Number one in the world in woodcock harvest, says Al Stewart, Upland Game Bird Spe-cialist for the Michigan DNR. The data are also interesting for states that are not singled out. Several areas traditionally thought of as hotspots for woodcock have numbers so low they get bundled into the Other category. Maine, for example, offers excellent wood-cock hunting but doesnt earn an in-dividual nod. Nor does New Jersey with its famed Cape May peninsula where the birds stage before cross-ing Delaware Bay on their fall migration. Finally, Louisiana, where much of the woodcock population spends its winters, barely scratches the surface in the harvest numbers. People complain that guys in Louisiana are kill-ing all the woodcock, says Stewart, but they dont kill any to speak of. And nothing com-pared to hunters in Michigan. Based on the pie chart that breaks down the harvest, it appears that in 2014, less than three percent of the of the woodcock harvest oc-curred in either Louisiana, or New Jersey or Maine.Obviously, says Stewart, in the fall of the year Michigan is not a good place to be if youre a woodcock. Michigan might top the list in terms of woodcock production and harvest, but the numbers dont insulate the state from nationwide trends for the birds.

The woodcock population has fallen by about 1 percent each year since the 1960s, says www.timberdoodle.org, the website of The Woodcock Management Plan.In the past, woodcock were abun-

dant because plenty of young forest also called early successional habitat existed in their range. But many brushy areas have grown into mature forest, where woodcock do not live. Not as much log-ging is taking place nowa-days as in the past, and in

many areas we sup-press natural processes like floods and wild-

fires that historically created ample young, regrowing woodland. Our development has destroyed much former habitat as well. These changes to the habitat produce negative effects on wood-cock populations, or as Stewart says, the habitat is getting older and changing into something not good for woodcock. Biologists have confirmed habitat loss is the culprit here not hunting by comparing the decline in the woodcock population to a similar decline the golden winged

warbler, a songbird, has faced.Writing for the Cornell Lab of Or-nithology, Gustave Axelson says,Golden-wings have declined in numbers by 66 percent since the 1960s, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. In the bigger picture of a species suf-fering a massive subtraction one of the biggest population declines of any songbird over the past 45 years. With those woodcock numbers steadily falling, Michigan also faces a possible dilemma with be-ing Number One, Stewart notes. Michigan is considered a world-class location for woodcock hunt-ing, so people talk about reducing bag limits or limiting the season length here. Thats exactly what happened with geese. We were re-quired to close goose season during the majority of the time the South-ern James Bay Population were migrating through the state. These are things that can occur. We were not happy with the reduction of the season length. The same thing could occur for woodcock, but people havent gone that way yet.He says the chief reason Michigan finds itself at the top of the harvest list is because were engaged in so

much young forest management. Clearcutting areas of aged-out aspen leads to new growth, which is favorable to woodcock, ruffed grouse, and many other bird and mammal species. In other words, creating such early successional habitat as was mentioned earlier. Plus, says Stewart, we have great partnerships with organiza-tions such as the Ruffed Grouse Society that help with management of alder and aspen and a strong timber industry that values aspen timber rotation. He also notes that approximate-ly 60 percent of the aspen in Michi-gan is located on private land, and private owners are not harvesting it at the same rate as on state land. The time to clearcut is when the trees are 40 to 60 years old. Often private landowners will wait until they are 55 to 60 years old.If private land is not harvested, whats going to happen? Stew-art asks then answers. Once the habitat converts you wont get it back. Its not rocket science; its so much harder. Once that habitat is gone, its gone. And its going to go quickly because things are all in the same age group.

By Tom Carney

Harder Than Rocket Science!

Woodcock habitat page 18

Its no accident that these two hunters were finding woodcock in the young aspen in the background. Michigans DNR works extensively to create such early successional habitat, which benefits woodcock, ruffed grouse, and several other game and nongame species. Tailfeather Communications LLC photo

Managing Habitat for Woodcock:According to data recently

released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), its

pretty clear where to find the best woodcock hunting in the United States. The 2014 sea-son results point to the upper Great Lakes region where 54 percent of the total harvest took place. More specifically, Michigan accounted for 33

percent of those birds with a harvest of over 79,000...

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This is not something we can put off. It has to be done today. We have to work with the private sector to Wed like to see the landowners and public give social value to young aspen. Like we did with wetlands. Tires, junk, filling it

in. In the 1970s we realized wet-lands had all sorts of benefits and took action to preserve them.Same thing with the spotted owl and the importance to them of old growth forest popularized by the appearance of the bird on the cover

of Time Magazine. People didnt know before. Then they talked about it and elevated it to the na-tional level. In the 90s and early 2000s, Stewart notes, the same thing happened with prairies and grasslands. If youre trying to restore a prairie, you plant pretty flow-ers. A grassland? Plow it. Its the same thing for aspen. You need clearcuts. You cut a single tree and hundreds of suckers come up. People need to learn, though,

that clearcutting does not mean scraping the land so it becomes barren. Id like to see in the next decade people give value to young forests and aspens early succes-sional period. So many animals use young aspen. And once again, he says, the story comes full cycle, ending with hunters. If theres no habitat, theres no woodcock. No woodcock, no hunting. Then no people who care about conservation.n

2014AmericanWoodcockNationalHarvest

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Early successional habitatClearcutting areas of aged-out aspen leads to new growth, which is favorable to woodcock, ruffed grouse, and many other bird and mammal species. Rick Baetsen photo

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I shot my first duck in 1972 when I was 12 years old. The bird flushed from a farm pond not far from my

parents home one Saturdayafternoon in late October...

At the time pheasants were plentiful and chasing those long-tailed birds with my big brother occupied most of my spare time outside of school and chores. Shoot-ing a duck was the furthest thing from my mind. When that mallard unexpectedly rocketed out of a patch of cattails, I spun around and instinctively fired the H&R single shot 20 gauge my parents bought me as a starter gun. The bird instantly folded up. In retrospect, it was more likely that the bird ran into the shot charge rather than any shoot-

ing skill on my part.

Regardless of how it happened, the end result was one dead mallard, one surprised older brother and one proud first time

duck hunter. Unfortunately, as I stood there admiring my prize it was float-ing in the middle of a six foot deep farm pond! No problem! I wasnt about to abandon my prize, so I stripped down, waded out and retrieved that first duck. A mallard and a farm pond was the start of what would become

a lifelong passion for duck hunting. Intimately experiencing that ice cold water was also the start of my appre-ciation for retrieving dogs!

THE FETCHING BREEDS These days Im still chasing ducks, but mostly I depend on some highly trained dogs to do the fetching. Labrador retrievers are my breed of choice and that of course is a highly biased opinion. To date a total of 43 years of duck hunting has taught me that Labs have all the skills a hunter could want in both a water and field dog. To be fair, our family has also

owned and trained some other great fetching dogs including a couple of wonderful golden retrievers and a springer spaniel who loves retrieving ducks as much as any black, chocolate or yellow Lab. The Labrador retriever is just such an easy breed to train and so determined to succeed, its hard not to sing out in admiration for them.

TRIGGER TIME Admittedly, I still like the sight of mallards bowed up over a decoy spread. What stands out is that mo-ment in time when its obvious the birds are fooled and about to commit. Its a special kind of rush that comes

when the birds are so close you can see the jewelry on their legs, hear the air catching in their feathers and know the moment of truth is at hand. I define trigger time as that instant when my hand tightens up on the pistol grip of a trusted shotgun. On some hunts that moment never happens and on others it happens over and over again. No matter, because just being there and sharing the expe-rience with my family and dogs makes it all worth the price of admission. When a bird is down and one of my dogs makes a challenging retrieve, the sense of pride is akin to a father watching his son hit a home run at a Little League game or watching a son or daughter being awarded graduation honors. Hunting with a bird dog cre-ates a bond that is something special and something that those who hunt without dogs will never fully under-stand. In a world full of divorce, aban-donment and discontent, knowing I can depend on a hunting dog to do precisely what it was bred to do is a refreshing realism. Its also good to know that the passion hunters feel for the pursuit of game birds burns just as strongly in the hearts of hunting dogs.

THE PREPARATION Duck hunting is a lot like other types of hunting in that the prepara-tion is a big part of the fun. The time I get to actually squeeze the trigger is small compared to time spent train-ing and conditioning dogs for hunting

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19Its all about the dogs page 20

Its all about the dogs

Mason, the authors black Lab, has served as a wonderful hunter and also constant companion. Mark Romanack photos

The authors hunting dogs are members of the family, spoiled just like the kids, but a lot easier to train.

By Mark Romanack

season. Training sessions are an exten-sion of the bond between dog and hunter. Its an opportunity to sharpen the skills of the dog and to stretch the legs and improve the wind of the hunter. More importantly, dog train-ing is a way of greatly extending the experience and enjoyment of water-fowl hunting. Even in the dead of winter when duck season is closed, the guns are all stored for the season and training season is months away, enjoying the companionship of a good hunting dog is as valued as the thrill of the hunt. From the computer desk where Im writing this article I can watch the flames flicker on the wood burner and smile as Drake, Mason and Stormy barter for space on the carpet. Hunting season lasts several months, but with my business sched-ule Im lucky to find myself with shotgun and dog in tow more than a dozen times a year. Because I only get to hunt a few days out of the year and because those days are so special to me, the experience is magnified when my dogs do what comes natu-rally to them.

THE PASSING Dogs are amazing creatures and

only one part about owning and training hunting dogs doesnt appeal to me. The lifespan of a hunting dog is far too short. The years we get to spend with our dogs blurs into a time line that plays out as if our lives are on fast forward. The months between puppy and young adult are gone before we know it. The years when a dog is in his or her prime are fruitful, but equally short. Eventually we find ourselves caring for a grizzled old veteran and the reality of life starts to creep into our thoughts. A transition in time full of memo-ries and good times is sadly soured as we gradually come to the conclusion the end is near. No one who has ever owned a prized hunting dog wants to think about the end, but ultimately as dog owners we find ourselves in the painful position of having to make the toughest decision of all. Thankfully the pain felt at the end of a dogs life pales in compari-son to the joys we feel as dog owners and dog lovers. Ultimately there will be another hunting season, another fall migration and for those of us who understand that its all about the dogs, another canine friend to share the blind and life with.n

The DNR is requesting help from anglers in an ongoing study of smallmouth bass in northern Lake Michigan. Central Michigan Uni-versity (CMU) and the DNR have been tagging smallmouth bass in the Beaver Island Archipelago since 2005, at Waugoshance Point (Wilderness State Park) since 2009, and in parts of Grand Traverse Bays since 2014. An-glers are asked to report the where-abouts of these tagged smallmouth bass by providing information on capture, capture location and tag number to the DNR via michigandnr.com/taggedfish/tags. If anglers release tagged fish, please do not remove the tag and just report the requested information on the website as indicated. Northern Lake Michigan is recognized as one of the top bass fishing destinations in the country, and tagging studies help to provide the scientific basis for management of this world-class fishery, said Dave Clapp, Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station manager. Thanks to the efforts of many contribut-ing anglers whove reported information on captured smallmouth bass, we have greatly expanded our knowledge of the northern Lake Michigan fishery. Since 2005, more than 7,000 smallmouth bass have been caught, tagged and released back into Lake Michigan. Each smallmouth bass has a unique number on its tag, allowing for the tracking of its individual movement and growth. Returns of tagged smallmouth bass have provided insights into movement and nesting habitat within the Great Lakes. These studies also have demonstrated that smallmouth bass have increased in size and number, compared to 20 or 30 years ago. Smallmouth bass in northern Lake Michigan are among the fastest-growing of this species in North America. Ongoing support from anglers allows the DNR and CMU to con-tinue to expand their knowledge of Great Lakes smallmouth bass populations and fisheries.

DNR requests anglerassistance in studying

Lake Michigan smallmouth

The DNR is looking for information on tagged smallmouth bass anglers catch on Lake Michigan. MDNR photo

Its all about the dogs:from page 19

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When engineers design a hydropower dam, part of the design process is to calculate a dam structure age span in which that dam can be safely operated. It is reported that most dams designed to produce hydropower have a life

span of about 50 years. With considerable repairs power companies can sometimes double the ini-tial life span of the dam to about 100 years. About 25 percent of Michigans hydropower dams are located in the UPs Menominee Watershed. Many of Michigans hydropower dams were built between 1900 and 1930 and a number of them are nearing their realistic extended life span. In the Menominee Watershed 76 percent of the dams are 85 years old or older. In the 1990s WE Energies entered into a col-laborative effort with state and federal natural resource agencies with the Federal Energy Regula-tory Commission (FERC) to relicense most of the hydropower dams in their system at one time. WE Energies owns the majority of hydropower facili-ties in the Menominee Watershed. This process was very comprehensive and the power company care-fully evaluated the long term viability of their dams. After careful evaluation, WE Energies determined it was not economically feasible to extend the life span of the Sturgeon Dam on Dickinson Countys Sturgeon River. The 50 foot high Sturgeon Dam was the only dam in Michigan with a high dam design. The dam was arch shaped like some of the famous Western United States dams and was designed to overspill over the top of the dam rather than though gates like most Midwestern dams. The dam was built in 1920 and its viability had declined over time. The decision was made to not relicense the dam. The plan to decommission the dam included removing the dam and all of the structures related to the project. The dams design limitations included its inability to completely drawdown its backwater. This complicated the process of safely and properly removing it. It was very important to draw down the backwater gradually to avoid sending a dramatic release of a large quantity of sediment and sand flowing downstream. This was done by

cutting the top 15 feet off the top of the dam struc-ture during the first year (2003) of the process. This allowed for a partial drawdown of the back water and allowed time for a limited sediment release to be captured in a downstream constructed sediment trap. I was assigned to monitor the process of resto-

ration of the river habitat. The company waited two years for the channel down cutting to stabilize. This also allowed part of the large sedi-ment load just above the dam that was dewatered to also stabilize. In 2005 the remaining portion of the dam structure was removed to finish draining the im-poundment. The sediment that moved downstream as the old stream channel

re established itself was caught in the sediment trap. The entire dam structure, old power house, and out-

buildings were removed. This process resulted in a restoring over three miles of stream habitat along

with a gorge, a series of rapids, and small falls. This lower section of the Sturgeon River is now predominantly smallmouth bass habitat. Dewatering the impoundment revealed some interesting log driving structures and artifacts from the late 1800s pine log drive days. Upstream of the Sturgeon River Dam the historical Waucedah Dam was exposed. This log driving dam was relatively well preserved having been protected from weather and flood events during over 80 years being inun-dated with the Sturgeon Dams backwaters. In addition to a relatively well preserved log driving dam structure, there were also pine logs that still had visible log drive marks. The marks were used by the log owners to label the pine log for sorting at the mills downstream at the Menominee River mouth at the conclusion of the river log drive. In a separate portion of the Menominee Water-shed another dam was considered for removal. In the upper portion of one of the UPs premier brook trout stream a dam blocked the access of brook trout to an extensive area of the rivers best brook trout spawning habitat. Working with members of the Menominee Range Chapter of Trout Unlimited, I (as the area Fisheries Management Biologist), had surveyed the Iron Rivers brook trout spawning areas. Brook trout require adequate ground water (spring water) percolating up through clean gravel to successfully spawn and generate successful natural reproduction. After extensive fall spawning surveys with local TU members we determined that most of the critical brook trout spawning habitat was located just upstream of the Wild River Road Dam near the headwaters of the Iron River. The Wild River Road Dam was a low head dam that had been constructed without legal permits and it blocked the Iron River at the road crossing. The dam had a small backwater that initially had provided a slack water trout fishery. Over the years sediment filled in the backwater area as typically happens. In the fall brook trout instinctively moved OC

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By Bill Ziegler

Dam removal page 24

The excavator mounted jack hammer is removing the top portion of the dam on the initial phase of the impoundment draw down as part of dam removal. Bill Ziegler photos

With many of Michigans dams reaching their design lifespan some are being removed to restore free flowing rivers

The dam was removed in stages to avoid a dramatic outflow of a large amount of sand and sediment that had built up behind the dam during the approximately 83 years of operation. The photo shows the stream channel reestablishing itself in the old gorge, down cutting through the deposited sand.

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upstream and built up relatively high numbers just downstream of this in stream barrier just short of the Iron Rivers ideal spawning grounds. The TU chapter took on removing this dam as their major project with technical assistance from the DNR Fisheries. The TU members secured the necessary DEQ permits and gradually removed the upper portion of the low head dam structure in 2005. After the sediment that was dewatered be-hind the dam was naturally vegetated and stabilized the remaining portion of the dam was removed a year later. This was a similar process to what had occurred at the Sturgeon River Dam to avoid a dramatic release of a large slug of sediment. The gradual dam removal was successful in avoiding excessive sediment release. Sediment in the old flooded area is now stable, covered with natural vegetation. The upper critical brook trout spawn-ing habitat is now directly connected to the major-ity of the Iron River. Brook trout can now pass up stream and access the spawning area. Their moving up passed the old barrier is evidenced by the fact that brook trout do not concentrate below the Wild River Road during their annual pre spawn movement as had been the case before dam re-moval. Dam removal can be controversial with emo-tional arguments by people who prefer impound-ments to free flowing stream habitat. My former District Fisheries Supervisor Gary Schnicke used

to say many people act like the concrete dams were deposited by the receding glaciers during the ice age. No one has any illusions that most of the states dams will be removed. Dams will always be a part of our states stream systems, although as dams become aged, unsafe, and not worth

maintaining, opportunities arise to restore some stretches of streams to quality free flowing habitat. In other cases like the Wild River Road Dam some dams impoundments are heavily degraded and their negative effects (blocking the prime spawning area) outweigh keeping the unproductive dam.n

The Menominee Range Chapter of Trout Unlimited in cooperation with DNR Fisheries in Crystal Falls removed the low head dam blocking brook trout spawning access to the most critical spawning habitat in the Iron River.

Dam removal:from page 22

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W e should introduce your dog to the joy of retrieving early in his education. Very few dogs refuse to retrieve and all can be improved in this area. The trick is to make your pup enjoy doing it because it brings immediate gratificationyour praise. To start your pup out, he should first know the command Come. Then you should throw out unfamiliar light-weight object like corn cob or a small retrieving dummy. Throw the object to be retrieved only a few feet. Its best to have your pup on a short check cord. We need to get him enthusiastic by using a happy voice and by making a game of this task. Throw it out, saying, Get it! Fetch, etc. When he gets the object in his mouth, call him in. If he doesnt comply, go to him and take it out of his mouth, saying Give. Throw it out again. Your pup will soon learn that in order to perpetuate this game, he has to relinquish his object (corn

cob, dummy, or ball) on command. Repeat this process

numerous times. All the while this is done you must say, in an enthusias-tic tone, Get it, Fetch, Come, Give, Good Dog!!! Alright! Then do it all again. What fun! Your dog will naturally want to put an interesting, lightweight object into his mouth, particularly when he associates this object with play-time. Make sure you use the same object each time so he makes the right as-sociations. Never let him just have his toy at times when youre not teach-ing this command because we dont want your pup to become bored with what might become a common-place object. The object to be retrieved must remain special something he looks forward to bringing in to you and for which hes given lavish praise and a good time. Keep the early retrieving light and fun. Before too long, it will be time to put more pieces together and couple the command Fetch with

other signals in the advanced training such as Whoa, Good Boy, as you go in to flush and shoot real birds. When the bird comes down and as the dog marks its fall, youll com-mand Dead or Dead Bird. When he goes to mouth the fallen bird, youll then command Fetch, then as he brings it in, Give. In order to get to this point, you have to start from the beginning, making sure that your pup enjoys retrieving by rewarding him each time he does it right. To help ensure that everything goes right, you should: Remain enthusiastic. Let your pup drag a short lead. Gently, but firmly, pull him in by the lead if hes reluctant to come in when called. Call him in firmly yet cheerfully.

Praise enthusiastically when he comes in when called (with the object in his mouth) even if you had to pull him in. Tell him to Give, taking the object from his mouth. Praise again for compliance to Give, even if you had to take the object from him. Let him see the object as you enthusiastically throw it out again, letting him mark the fall as you repeat the process. If your dog does not want to come in with the object when called, you can work him on a ground runner, preventing him from romping around with the object. After all, we want your dog to play this game by our rules, not his, just as we will expect him to play by our rules when actually hunting.n

By Len Jenkins

Very few dogs refuse to retrieve and all can be improved in this area.

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Getting up with the chick-ens paid dividends. Running up the lower Big Manistee River in total darkness was dicey, but when we came to the

run known as Top-Of-The- Mile no one was there. The run is a favorite of Manistee River anglers because its long and clean; perfect for bouncing bottom with spawn. Fish that negoti-ate the shallow stretch below during the night tend to hang up once they reach the deeper run. Fish from above, tucked into the wood and logs during the day, relax under the cover of darkness and often slip down and col-lect in the run. The fishing is often short lived though. The Top-Of-The-Mile Run is right in the middle of the river and once a few boats run through it and the sun gets up, the fishing is over. My first cast plun